Caregiver in Canada

If you want to become a Cagiver in Canada there are some requirements that you must meet before you can apply.

You will need:


1. A job confirmation letter from a Canadian employer

First thing that you should do is to find an employer who will be willing to hire you as a Caregiver in Canada. If you are a worker currently residing outside of Canada, the best option that you may have is if you have relatives who will act as your representative. They will be the ones who will help you find the employer.

If on the other hand you do not have a relative in Canada, you may try and apply direct to the Employer over the internet.

There are a lot of search engines for jobs in Canada. For instance you may visit the Job Bank of Canada.

If you are a filipino currently residing in the Philippines you must know that under the rules of Canada and the Philippines your employer must be the one who will shoulder all recruitment cost. It is important that you read:

POEA guidelines for Filipino workers bound for Canada


Your employer must then apply to Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) to have their suggested job offer reviewed and receive a positive job confirmation letter from HRSDC before hiring you. HRSDC will review the job duties, working conditions, suggested pay and so on to be sure that the job offer meets provincial labour standards and that there are not enough Canadians or permanent residents available to work as live-in caregivers in Canada. You will need a copy of this confirmation letter when you apply for a work permit.

2. A written contract with your future employer

The written contract must show that there is a fair working arrangement between you and your employer. It should explain clearly the responsibilities you both have in your work arrangement.

Being a Caregiver in Canada means that you will live in the home of the person that you will provide care for. In the contract, you and your employer agree on duties, hours of work, salary and benefits. The contract may also describe what legal responsibilities your employer has toward you. All of these should be met to convince the Citizenship and Immigration Canada, when they review your contract, that the employer’s job offer is genuine.

You need the contract as part of your application. Clicking the link below would give you a sample on what your contract should be like. Your contract does not have to look exacly like this, but you will get some ideas on how it might look and what it should contain.

* Live-In Caregiver Program Sample Contract (click on link to view sample)

3. Successful completion of Canadian secondary school education

You must have successfully completed the equivalent of Canadian high school education (secondary school). Because of the differences in school systems across Canada, it is not possible to give a precise number of years. In most provinces, it takes 12 years of schooling to obtain a Canadian high school diploma. The immigration officer assessing your application will let you know what is needed.

Since in the Philippines, most schools only have 10 years of formal education from Elementary to Highschool, it is imperative that an applicant should at least have second year of College Education.

4. At least six months’ training, or at least one year of full-time paid work experience in the past three years

To claim work experience, you need to have worked for one year, including at least six months of continuous employment for the same employer in a field or occupation similar to what you will do as a live-in caregiver. This experience must have been within the three years immediately before the day on which you make an application for a work permit as a caregiver. There are six months training program being offered by various institutions in the Philippines, you just have to make sure that the one you take is accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

To claim training, it must be full-time training in a classroom setting. Areas of study could be early childhood education, geriatric care, pediatric nursing or first aid.

5. Good knowledge of English or French

You must be able to speak, read and understand either English or French so you can function on your own in your employer’s home. For example, you must be able to call emergency services if they are needed, and to understand labels on medication. You will be unsupervised for most of the day and may have to communicate with someone outside the home. You can also read and understand your rights and obligations if you can function in English or French.

6. A work permit before you enter Canada

Getting a work Permit to be a Caregiver in Canada, would mean that you will be allowed access to Canada as a Caregiver.

The live in Caregiver program of Canada is special, if the worker meets the requirements, he or she will be allowed to apply for a Permanent Residents Visa.

In most cases, Caregiver applicants for Canada, applied in the Philippines does not prosper.

The main reason is the slow application process in the Canadian Embassy in Manila.

Because of this, the employer either gets applicants from other countries where Caregiver applications are faster, countries like Honkong, Taiwan or Singapore.

Or the Visa Officer reviewing the applicants application Caregiver in Canada (from the Philippines) will doubt the authenticity of the Job Offer.